


It's A Date

by corinneelaine



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: F/M, First Date, Porn With Plot, The Job, consent is important kids, fluffy fluff, jim is such a gentleman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 14:28:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15687267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/corinneelaine/pseuds/corinneelaine
Summary: Jim and Pam's "first" date. Set immediately after "The Job". There be smut ahead (but good, sweet, loving smut.) This took me like two weeks to write, mostly on my phone when I should have been working.. I'm pretty proud of it.





	1. Before "The Date"

“And, if he never comes back again…that’s okay. We’re friends, and I’m sure we’ll stay friends.”

Pam was pretty sure the camera guys were not supposed to react to her, so as not to influence her interviews, but at those words, they all rolled their eyes and Brian, the one who usually worked on sound, shot her a disbelieving look.

She backtracked, shaking her head lightly and trying not to let her face betray her feelings too much.

“We just- we never got the timing right…ya know? I shot him down, and then, he did the same to me, and….but you know what? It’s okay! I’m totally fine,” now with a slightly defiant tone, “everything is gonna be totally–”

“Pam.”

Pam’s head snapped to the source of the interruption and the cameras followed.

Jim. Jim was there, in the doorway, apologizing to the cameras with that half smile and then looking right at her.  _How is he here?_   _Wait, he’s talking, pay attention._

“Umm.. are you free for dinner tonight?” His tone and body language were casual, but his quiet voice shook, just slightly.

Pam answered automatically, her surprise coloring her voice. “Yes.”

Jim’s face split in a shy grin. “Alright. Then, it’s a date.”

He tapped his palm on the door frame as he backed out, still smiling, and as the door closed with a snap, Pam felt an answering grin stretch across her face. She bit her lip, trying to control the joy bubbling up like a soda in her chest, and faced the cameras again. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, purely from the shock and adrenaline, and prayed they wouldn’t overflow.

“I’m sorry, what was the question?”

Their faces reflected her smile, and the guy asking the questions (she felt bad for not knowing all of their names by now but it was difficult since they really weren’t supposed to chit-chat) shook his head, reaching forward and pressing the button on their camera to stop recording.

“Uh, no more questions. You can go ahead and go back out, whenever you’re ready.”

Pam could tell that they weren’t expecting that either, which was surprising in itself. Sometimes when things would happen around the office, she’d catch a look from one of them that said  _yup, there it is,_ because they’d already seen something coming a mile away. The perks of being in everyone’s conversations at once. This, though, was clearly a shock to all of them.

Karen. Oh god, had they broken up? Pam supposed that he wouldn’t have come back without her, and definitely wouldn’t have just asked Pam to dinner, if they hadn’t. By turning slightly in her seat, she could see that Karen wasn’t at her desk. She sat quietly for a few moments as the camera crew slipped out of the conference room, trying to assemble her thoughts. Her hands were shaking and she twisted them in her lap, focusing on the spot on her ring finger that was still a little softer and paler than the rest of her skin. Some things faded faster than others.

_A date. He said “it’s a date”._  But she didn’t know where, or when. Was it really a date? Or was that just a phrase? No, Jim wouldn’t have put it like that unless it was intentional. He’d been so careful around her the last few months, too careful.

Pam stood suddenly, and drew her pink cardigan closer around herself. She walked to the door of the conference room and quickly scanned the office, but Jim wasn’t there. Approaching her desk, she saw a blue sticky note on her keyboard. She sat down shakily and plucked it from the keys, only breathing out when she recognized Jim’s handwriting.

_Call me when you see this. Cuginos? Pick you up at 7?  – J_

Pam grabbed for the phone and was dialing Jim’s number before the note could hit the desk.

“Hey.” His voice was warm, happy. She almost cried at the warmth of it. He hadn’t sounded that happy to hear from her in so long.

“Hi.” Pam could feel the smile still stuck to her face. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever stop smiling again. She fiddled with her necklace, a nervous habit.

“So. Is seven okay? Is that enough time?”

“Yeah, yeah. Definitely. Seven is good.”

Jim huffed a laugh into the phone. “Okay, great. Uh… I don’t think I have your address. Do you wanna just text it to me?”

Pam nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see her. “Yeah, I’ll send it right now. What about…”

Jim seemed to understand what she wanted to ask. “We broke up. Well, I broke up with her. She’s, uh…she’s with her friends, back in New York.” He paused. “I’m sorry, I know it’s kinda quick, but..I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“No, no. It’s…I don’t want to wait either. Kinda feels like we’ve done a lot of that already.”

“Yeah.”

They both fell quiet, not wanting to hang up yet. Pam looked around, then at the clock. If she played it right, she could go home a little early and have more time to prepare. Shit, what was she gonna wear?

“Hey, I have a chance to sneak out, so…see you at seven?”

She swore she could feel his smile through the phone. “Yeah, Beesly, see you then.”

Pam stuttered a goodbye and hung up, her heart racing.

____

Jim let his cell phone fall into his lap and leaned back into his car’s headrest. He hadn’t gone far, just around the corner. He didn’t want to be there when the camera guys got out of the talking head, didn’t want them to ask about the date. He felt protective of it, and if the cameras tagged along it wouldn’t be the same.

Jim was going on a date. With Pam. He wondered if she was nervous. Probably not as nervous as him. He wondered briefly if he should have picked somewhere fancier, but dismissed the thought. Pam loved Italian food, and they’d gone there for their first lunch together when he’d started at Dunder Mifflin. It was perfect, really. A fresh start. He smiled goofily at the thought.

Starting his car up again, Jim pulled out onto the street and headed for home. He wanted to shower, change, keep himself busy until it was time to leave. He didn’t want to think about what he was going to say to her, how the date was going to go, how the  _after_  the date was going to go…nope.  _Getting ahead of yourself there, Halpert. For all you know, this night could end with Pam deciding you’re more trouble than you’re worth._ Jim shook his head absently, still not used to the lack of hair around his ears from the haircut Karen had bullied him into getting. It did him no good to speculate. He’d just have to wait and see how it played out.

____

Pam stood in front of her closet in her pink fluffy robe, despairing. She had zero date-appropriate clothes. She wanted to look fun and cute and maybe just a little sexy… but her work clothes didn’t fit that bill, and her pajamas definitely didn’t. There wasn’t a lot of in-between.

_Jim doesn’t care what you wear. He’s seen you in cardigans and button downs every day for like the last five years._

Right, but this was different. This was a beginning. A fresh start.

Suddenly she remembered a box of clothes, ones that she’d stuffed in the corner of her closet and hadn’t taken out again after the reactions of Kevin and Creed. She dropped to her knees and yanked the box out, finding the top she was looking for. Dark magenta red, closely fitted, cut a little low, definitely not Boring Pam the Receptionist’s style.

But Fancy New Beesly…. maybe. She quickly pulled it on, along with her best-fitting pair of dark wash jeans and a pair of low, open toed heels. Stepping in front of the mirror, she eyed her reflection critically.

_Not terrible. Objectively, not terrible._

It would have to do. It was already 6, and she needed to get started on her hair if it was going to look halfway decent instead of a frizzled mess of curls like usual. She wandered into the bathroom and plugged in the curling iron, studying her face under the harsh overhead light.

She looked nervous, keyed up. There were two spots of bright pink burning high on her cheeks, and her eyes were bright. She dabbed on some translucent powder and a little bit of mascara, forgoing any lipstick for reasons she preferred not to think too hard about and dabbing on a little Chapstick instead. She formed her hair into loose barrel curls, leaving them soft around her face instead of her usual half-up style. She dabbed on a perfume, grabbed her purse and a jacket and sat down on her small, lumpy couch to wait. It was barely 6:45, but she was already staring at the back of her front door, waiting for a knock and tensing every time she heard a car outside. Finally, at 6:55, she heard a car pull up in front of her building. Footsteps approaching her door. A pause, then a quiet knock, three times. Pam was at the door so quickly that her purse and jacket fell to the floor by the couch, forgotten. She opened the door wide to find Jim leaning against the entryway, his big hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans, wearing a dark green sweater that made his eyes look  _amazing_.

_Here we_  go.

____

Pam smiled in welcome and stepped back, inviting him in, but Jim was a little bit frozen, his eyes traveling down to her shoes and back up. She blushed and hugged her torso, not meeting his gaze.

“Well, what do you think? Fancy enough?”

Jim remembered himself and stood up straight, clearing his throat quietly.

“Yeah. Yes. Definitely good. You look really nice, Pam.”  _Really, really nice. Where the hell has that shirt been hiding?_

Pam smiled softly, then nodded her head towards her living room. “Let me just grab my coat? Do you want anything to drink before we go?”

Jim stepped inside, closing the door behind him. “Oh no, that’s okay. Thank you, though.”

Pam bent to grab her jacket and purse from the floor. When she straightened and turned back to Jim, he was pointedly looking at the ceiling. She felt a laugh bubble up in her throat as she realized he was trying  _not_  to check her out.

“You look nice, too, by the way.” His eyes snapped to her face at the words, and found her grinning, her tongue peeking from behind her teeth the way it did when she was trying not to laugh.

He relaxed as he laughed, his face breaking into a matching smile. “Why thank you. This look took me hours to accomplish, clearly. Beauty is pain, after all.”

She giggled, her eyes bright. She bit her lip and Jim felt his breath catch a little. He offered his arm, and she took it gently, stepping close and curling her hand over his bicep. “Shall we?”

Pam didn’t trust her voice to answer, so she just nodded and allowed him to lead her out the door, barely remembering to lock it behind them.


	2. "The Date"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So many feelings.

Mercifully, the drive was short, and before she knew it, they were tucked into a corner booth at the restaurant. Pam’s brain felt utterly blank, and Jim clearly felt some pressure as well, judging by how he was fidgeting in his seat. They sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Pam blurted, “So how did the interview go?” She immediately cringed.  _Nice, Beesly, way to bring up the one thing he probably **doesn’t**  want to talk about._

Jim shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “Well, it actually seemed to be going pretty well…” he hesitated, “and then I found your present.”

Pam stared blankly for a moment, trying to remember. It had been a  _really_  long day. It came to her in a burst and she clapped a hand over her mouth in mild horror.

“Oh god. The yogurt lid medal? You were supposed to find that before the interview, not during it! I’m so sorry.”

“No, no, don’t be, it was really awesome. And honestly, it really helped me see clearly. That job was not for me, corporate stuff in general is just…not me. So, I actually…took myself out of consideration.” Jim shrugged again, quirking his mouth up into the lopsided smile he always gave the cameras, the one that said “ _what can you do_ “.

Pam lowered her hands, feeling guilty. Guilty for making him change his mind, guilty about how happy and relieved she was that he  _had_ changed his mind. It must have shown on her face, because Jim reached across the table and gently took her hand into his own.

“Don’t even worry about it. I made that decision on my own, and I’m really glad I did.”

Pam smiled, if somewhat weakly. “Well…I’m really glad you’re here.” She dropped her eyes to their intertwined fingers, chewing absently on her lower lip.

“I guess we have a lot to talk about, huh?”

Jim nodded, his eyes not leaving her face. “Where do you want to start?”

Pam shrugged, feeling a little desperate. “I don’t know… I just know I don’t want this to turn into a fight. I–I know we both have some feelings to get out there, but I’m just really happy to be here with you and I want it to go well.”

Jim considered for moment, a thoughtful look on his face. “How about this? We each get a turn, to say everything we want or need to say. No interrupting. Just lay it all out. And then, once we’ve both said our piece, we just…eat our food, and enjoy the night.” His unspoken words were clear.  _If you still want to._

Pam wrinkled her nose a little, thinking. “Well, I guess it could work. But only if you don’t hold anything back, okay? I’ve had enough of that since you got back from Stamford, I want to hear what you actually think.”

Jim chuckled, releasing her hand and folding his arms on the table. “Deal, as long as you do the same. Although…I think you got a lot of yours out already, on Beach Day.”

She blushed, remembering her bold words at the lake. “Yeah, well. Fancy New Beesly don’t take no crap.” She grinned triumphantly as he snorted a little into his water, clearly not expecting her to remember his nickname from their one phone conversation when he was in Stamford. Recovering, Jim set down his water and refolded his arms, fixing her with that patented stare, the one that made Pam feel like he could read her mind.

“Alright, Beesly. Lay it on me.”

Pam took a deep breath, steeling herself.

“Okay. It really sucked, when you left.” She met his eyes steadily, willing herself to be brave.  _No turning back now._

“You dropped all of that information, told me you were in love with me when I thought we were just friends, and then disappeared when I didn’t immediately ditch my entire life and run off into the sunset with you.” Her voice rose in pitch slightly and Jim raised his eyebrows, looking nervous. Pam paused, reining in her emotions.

“You have to understand, I was… in shock. I totally panicked. I felt like my whole life was falling down around my ears, plans I had been making for the last ten years. I had a whole future, that I hadn’t really questioned, and then suddenly it was all so– open. For the first time, I saw a different option than just– being with Roy, and… it honestly kinda terrified me.”

She took another deep breath. “I’m sorry for what I said that night. About misinterpreting our friendship. I didn’t mean it, it was a knee-jerk response, and it wasn’t fair to you. And–I’m sorry I didn’t call you when I broke it off with Roy. I was so worried that you hated me.”

Jim moved like he wanted to speak but then clamped his mouth shut again, nodding. Pam waited, her hands trembling slightly. When he didn’t speak, she continued.

“The truth is, I was just…  _scared_. The whole time. I don’t know, maybe I thought that if I denied it enough, I would stop feeling something more for you. If I pretended that we were just friends, that’s all we’d be. But…I couldn’t keep pretending anymore. Jim, I–”

She finally broke their eye contact and looked down into her lap, summoning every ounce of strength she had left. This was more than she’d talked in months. Maybe ever. “I really hope that your feelings for me haven’t changed. I know it’s been a while, and we’ve both said some things and made mistakes. But…I’m in love with you. And… I am gonna just stop talking now because that’s really the only part that matters…that I’m in love with you.”

______

Jim slumped in his seat, feeling like he’d gotten the wind knocked out of him. His mouth opened, closed, then opened again. He ran an unsteady hand through his hair. “Wow. Pam, I — just…wow.”

_That is — **not**  what I expected her to say….She loves me. She’s  **in**   **love**  with me. Present tense._

He met her gaze, and she looked vulnerable and scared, waiting for his answer. He quickly sat forward and started to speak.

“First off, no, my feelings have not changed. I tried to move on, tried to pretend that I wasn’t just… _totally_  in love with you, but honestly– I don’t think that’s possible.

“I’m sorry for springing things on you, that night. I wanted to tell you about the transfer, and then I couldn’t help myself…you were so pretty and so happy, the words just busted out before I could really think about it. I should have told you sooner, like years sooner. I just couldn’t ever bring myself to say it, in case you didn’t feel the same way.”

She was nodding, her hazel eyes filling with unshed tears. Jim kept speaking, hoping the words were making sense.

“I don’t blame you for panicking. And I’m sorry for leaving so quickly, for not saying goodbye. I was in a lot of pain, and I wasn’t thinking about how it would affect you. And honestly…I was kind of angry. I felt like there was no way you hadn’t figured it out before then, at least a little bit. I mean…I was  _really_  not good at hiding it.”

Pam let out a choked little laugh, and nodded helplessly. She didn’t speak, but if she had Jim knew she’d be saying ‘ _Uh, yeah. No kidding.’_

“But I guess that wasn’t fair of me. I straight up told you that I  _didn’t_ have a crush on you anymore, so I can’t really be upset at you for thinking we were just friends. But it was too hard to be near you after that, and I just couldn’t handle it anymore, so I had to go. But—” he straightened and widened his arms “– I’m here now. I’m back, for good, and I’m sorry Beesly, but you’re not getting rid of me this time.”

Pam laughed again, her tears spilling over onto her cheeks. She opened her mouth to talk and then stopped. Jim rolled his eyes exaggeratedly.

“Okay, you can speak. The rules of this game are, thankfully,  _not_  as unflinchingly rigid as Jinx.”

She rewarded him with an eyeroll of her own, wiping her tears from her cheeks quickly.

“I think I’m ready to order.”

____

Over pasta and breadsticks, Jim told Pam all about the scene with Jan, the fact that it was her job he had interviewed for, and Michael’s ridiculous part in the dramatics. Pam told Jim about Dwight’s dry run as Regional Manager, her ephemeral position as Secret Assistant To The Regional Manager, and his lectures on topsoil. They laughed until their sides hurt and people started to shoot covert looks their way, both amused and annoyed. When they couldn’t eat any more, Jim paid the bill, ignoring Pam’s protests.

“This is a proper date, Pam, so I’m gonna be a proper gentleman and pick this up. Next time, we can split it 50/50, okay?”

Pam blushed at the mention of a second date and offered no further arguments. As they walked back to Jim’s car, she slipped her small hand into his larger one and squeezed tightly. Jim felt a rush of joy in his gut and resisted the urge to pinch himself to check if this was all a dream.

“Well, what’s our move? Are you all carb-coma’d out? Save room for dessert?” Jim asked as they settled into their seats in his car. He had let go of her hand to get into the car but he reclaimed it now, tracing his thumb in light circles on her palm.

Pam considered for a moment, chewing her bottom lip again. Jim’s stomach tightened at the sight and he quickly looked away.

“I have ice cream in my freezer. Do you wanna just go hang out there?”

“In your freezer? I don’t know if we’d both fit…or, wait–was that a threat? Are you secretly an axe murderer?”

Pam shoved Jim’s shoulder, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Oh my god. Shut up. Do you want the ice cream or not?”

“Ice cream sounds awesome. Your place it is.” Jim met Pam’s eyes directly as he said ‘your place’ and was gratified to see her mouth drop open, just a little. She recovered quickly as he started to drive, but when he glanced over again a few minutes later, she was worrying her bottom lip with her teeth again. Jim couldn’t help the hopeful feeling rising in his chest. He didn’t know what she was expecting to happen — if anything — but he was going to follow her lead the whole way.

_Your move, Beesly._


	3. After "The Date"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long and hot. That's what she said.

Pam’s heart was beating double time. No, triple. Quadruple?

She was taking Jim Halpert back to her place. Her own, quiet apartment. No Roy, no Karen, no coworkers, no cameras. Just the two of them.

Logically, she knew that there was no reason they had to do anything more than eat some ice cream, sit on the couch, maybe put on a movie. But her brain wasn’t much interested in logic at that point. No, it was a  _little_  more focused on all the repressed feelings that she’d tried to avoid and forget over the last few years. It was hyper-aware of Jim’s long fingers intertwined with her own over the middle console in his car, and kept making her steal glances up at his face, his strong jaw, his soft-looking lips, his green eyes… wow. She needed to calm down. He could probably hear her heartbeat from there.

As they drew closer to her apartment, she mentally sat herself down for a quick check-in.

 _Do you love Jim_   _Halpert_?

Yes. Yes, absolutely yes. She knew that for certain, now.

_Do you **want**  him? _

She sucked in a breath. Yup. There was no denying that either. Now that she didn’t have a reason to feel guilty about it, all of her previously ignored feelings were coming back to her, full strength. She wanted him, she’d always wanted him.

_Do you have any good reason to wait to have sex with him, or are you ready now?_

Pam tried to give that one some more thought.

Objectively, there was no real reason to wait. She couldn’t help the nagging feeling that they should take it slow. Mostly because a little voice in her head that sounded a lot like Angela was whispering  _wow, putting out right away Pam? That’s a surefire way to make him lose interest. Plus you’ve only ever slept with one guy, and he couldn’t find your clit with a map and compass, so you’re probably just as bad…_

Pam suppressed a wince. Oh god, what if she  _was_  bad at sex? What if all this time Jim has had this.. _ideal_  in his head, and now he would find out she didn’t measure up? He had definitely slept with more than one girl…Karen and Katy and she didn’t know who else but he was too handsome and charming for it to be a very  _low_  number…

Before she could take that train of thought any further, they had pulled up to her lot. Jim was parking, and turning off the car. Jumping out and hurrying around to open her door ( _he’s too sweet, I can’t even believe this is happening)._

Jim paused as he closed her car door, then turned to face Pam.

“Hey,” he intoned lowly, leaning back against the vehicle. “Everything okay? I don’t have to come up if you’re not comfortable with it.”

Pam shook her head, feeling silly. Her panic must have shown in her features, and of course he would notice. They knew each other’s faces and expressions so well. She stepped in close and tentatively wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing her body to barely press into his where he still leaned against the car. Jim bent his head down and gently pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.

“You know we don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for, right?” he whispered.

Pam nodded, moving both their heads. She giggled at the feeling. “I know. But thank you for saying it anyway.”

She pushed back off of him and extended her hand, nodding towards her front door. “Come on, ice cream is calling me.”

Jim grinned, taking her outstretched hand and marveling at how differently this night compared to the previous one. He felt like he couldn’t get any happier than this.

—-

Half an hour later, settled on Pam’s couch with a bowl of ice cream each, their shoes off and her knee pressing into his, he felt the need to amend his previous statement.  _This_  was the happiest he’d ever been. It was just so easy, being with her. He didn’t feel stressed, or anxious, or pressured to make idle conversation– it just flowed.

Jim finished his ice cream before her and stood to bring his bowl back to the kitchen, setting it in the sink. He turned on the hot water to rinse the bowl and Pam’s voice called out from the living room.

“Jim, don’t you dare wash any dishes!”

Jim stuck his head back into the living room. “Oh sorry, I didn’t see any maids or butlers wandering around so I figured I’d clean up my own mess. Good help is so hard to find, huh?”

Pam let loose an unladylike snort, holding her bowl up over the back of the couch. “Well, here. Take mine too and we’ll discuss your salary.”

“Yes ma’am. Right away ma’am.”

Pam wandered into her kitchen and hopped up on the counter as Jim finished rinsing their bowls, propping them up neatly near the sink so they could dry.

Stepping over to where Pam now sat, perched on the countertop, he situated himself between her swinging legs, setting his hands lightly on either side of her hips. She was so petite that he hardly had to extend his arms, but the position put them almost nose-to-nose and he could feel her breathing quicken subtly.

“So…you had mentioned compensation for my labor?” he said in a low tone, watching a tiny shiver roll through her.

“What did you have in mind?” she asked hesitantly. Jim grinned widely, enjoying her answering blush to his implication.

“I’m thinking a kiss would do. Maybe…one kiss for every dish washed?”

He hoped he wasn’t pushing his luck. He was having such an amazing time, and he didn’t want to ruin it by taking his teasing too far. But then Pam raised her hands to his shoulders, pulled him in a little closer, and he lost his train of thought completely.

“Sounds like a pretty good deal,” she whispered, her mouth only inches away.

Leaning forward, Pam closed the gap between them and gently pressed her lips to his. Jim’s eyes slid closed and he sighed into the kiss, his hands tensing but not moving from her hips. After a heartbeat she pulled back, breaking the contact.

“One.”

Jim almost groaned at the light huskiness in her voice, but refrained. He kept his eyes closed, waiting. She leaned back in, tilting her head slightly this time, and their lips met once more.

This time, he slipped one hand up and lightly cupped her jaw, increasing the pressure of the kiss. One, two, three heartbeats later, she drew back again.

“Two.”

She smiled breathlessly, making no move to kiss him again. But Jim didn’t move back, kept his hands on her hip and her neck.

“Hey, I also washed our spoons. Doesn’t that count?”

Pam rolled her eyes, sliding her hands up to tangle gently in the hair at the nape of his neck. “Oh, I see how it is. Next you’ll be wanting a 401(k) and benefits, huh?”

“Maybe just the benefits.” He cringed almost immediately at the innuendo, waiting for her reaction. But Pam just shook her head.

“Weak, Halpert. I’m not even going to dignify that with a ‘that’s what she said’.”

Jim opened his mouth to reply but Pam silenced him with another kiss. She let this one linger, her lips moving against his and a quiet sigh escaping when he slipped his fingers into her hair. Jim’s other hand moved from Pam’s hip to her back, pulling her closer to him.

Correction. Again.  _This_  was the happiest Jim had ever been.

He was standing in Pam Beesly’s tiny apartment kitchen, kissing her and holding her, and she was warm and smelled so amazing, like peaches and vanilla…her hands were in his hair, and when she lightly tugged on a lock he felt it like a spark, all the way through his body.

This time he was the one to break the kiss, needing to see her face. “Three,” he whispered roughly. Pam swallowed, opening her eyes. Jim nearly lost it when he saw how blown her pupils were, sparkling above her pink cheeks and kiss-darkened lips. His fingers tightened reflexively in her curls and Pam sucked in a breath, her eyes slamming shut again.

“Shit Pam, I’m sorry. Did I pull it?” Jim immediately released his hold and started to step back, but she stopped him, her legs tightening around his hips.

Jim stopped breathing. He had honestly forgotten that she was practically straddling him in this position, had been more focused on her upper half, specifically the lips. But  _goddamn,_ he was aware of it now. He returned his hands to her waist, steadying then both. Pam opened her eyes again and met his gaze, a stunned smile stealing over her face.

“It’s okay. You didn’t hurt me,” she reassured him. Jim relaxed, then stiffened slightly again. With her hips in such close proximity, other…parts had begun to take notice of their activities. He tried to subtly tilt his pelvis away from her so she wouldn’t notice.

_______

She had definitely noticed. Pam felt like her wits were scattered all over her kitchen floor. Three kisses, and she was ready to rip Jim’s sweater right off. Yeesh.

To be fair, she’d  _never_  been kissed like this. They weren’t even deep, passionate, sloppy kisses–really, they’d kept it pretty PG so far.

Pam felt the effects nonetheless, and apparently so did Jim. She could tell he was trying to avoid pressing his body to hers, that he was trying not to make her uncomfortable. Her heart swelled at his thoughtfulness. Whenever Roy had been in the mood, he’d made no secret of the fact, becoming grabby and vulgar, and pouting when she didn’t reciprocate. Pam had appreciated the differences between Jim and Roy many times, and this was no exception. She knew that if she wanted to walk away right now, Jim wouldn’t complain, discomfort and all.

But she didn’t want to walk away. She wanted to get closer. So she did, flexing her legs and pulling his hips in to meet hers. Jim gasped, tightening his grip on her waist. “Pam…whoa.”

Pam took Jim’s face in her hands, her thumb tracing his cheek. “It’s okay. I’m good.”

Jim nodded, his gaze serious. “If you want me to stop, or slow down, just say so. At  _any_  time. Okay?”

Pam nodded, then slowly leaned in, not breaking eye contact. Jim’s lips parted, and she gently ran one thumb along the bottom line of his mouth.

“Four,” she breathed.

A groan escaped Jim’s throat as their lips connected once more, and suddenly she found herself flush to his chest, his arms wrapped all the way around her torso, one hand back in her hair. Pam tightened her arms in return, clinging to his shoulders.

Jim slid his tongue gently along her bottom lip and she gasped brokenly, granting him access. The intensity grew as their tongues met, and Pam felt her hips twitch, unbidden, in response.

Jim’s reaction was instant, and before Pam could breathe again she found herself fully in his grip, his arms supporting her hips and holding her flush to his body as he stood upright.

Pam blinked in shock, her mouth open in a perfect “O”.

_Holy shit._

Jim was holding her in his arms like she weighed nothing; she could feel his shoulder muscles tense as he froze, clearly unsure whether to put her back down or not, as surprised by his own reaction as she was.

“Couch?” he whispered huskily.

“Yes,” she replied without hesitation, need pitching her voice higher than normal. She locked her thighs around his waist as he swiftly carried her back to the couch, stopping in front of it. Slowly, he loosened his hold, allowing her to slide down his front so she could feel every inch of his body against hers. As soon as Pam had her legs underneath of her properly, Jim bent down and pressed his lips to her neck, his breath hot against her skin.

Pam let out a little moan at the sensation, clutching at his shoulders. Her knees felt wobbly, so she stepped back until she felt the edge of the couch. Pulling away gently, she panted, “Sit.”

Jim obeyed, sitting at an angle that indicated he was expecting her to sit next to him on the cushion. Pam bit her lip and hesitated for a split second, then pushed his shoulders back and settled her hips over his, effectively straddling him.

Jim groaned, his hands flying to her back to steady her. “Oh my god,  _Pam_.”

Pam stopped, embarrassed, holding herself just above his lap. “I’m sorry,” she said haltingly. “Do you want me to move?”

“No, no. I just–” he gasped, “I don’t want to move too fast.”

Pam dropped her gaze, feeling her cheeks flushing. Before she could move, she felt Jim shift and gently grasp her chin. Tipping her face up, he met her eyes and smiled encouragingly.

“This feels…so good, Pam. I don’t want to stop. I just want to make sure you’re okay. You don’t have to prove anything to me.”

Pam nodded, relaxing. “I know,” she whispered. “I–I don’t know if I’m ready for  _that_  just yet. But I don’t want to stop what we’re doing. Is that okay?”

Jim caressed her cheek gently and brought her face to his, kissing her slowly and sweetly. “Definitely good with that,” he said in a low, hoarse voice.

—

Jim’s jeans were starting to get pretty uncomfortably tight at that point, and he knew having Pam in his lap was not going to make matters easier. Gripping her waist, he fluidly switched their positions, laying her down on the couch and leaning over her, supporting his weight with one of his arms. He used his other hand to sweep her curls from her neck, bending down to kiss the soft skin just under her jaw. He felt her arms slide up around his chest, her bent leg rise up, almost–but not quite– wrapping around his hips. She was unbelievably responsive to his every touch, and he’d barely touched her. This was not going to be easy to control, not with the way she was gasping every time his lips brushed her skin.

Wanting to bring things down a notch, Jim slowly drew her back up and into his arms, his hand caressing her hair. He kissed her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth.

“Pam,” he murmured as he peppered kisses along her jaw.

“Hmm,” she responded lazily, her eyes closed as she absorbed the sensations of his touch.

Jim stopped and pulled back, watching her face. Pam opened her eyes, smiling shyly when she met his gaze.

“I love you,” he said softly.

Pam’s smile grew, and she brushed Jim’s mussed hair from his forehead as she answered.

“I love you too.”

Jim exhaled deeply, relief and joy spreading through his limbs at her words. He sagged into the cushions, shifting so she was tucked into his side, his arms holding her tightly to him. Yeah, she’d technically already said that she loved him at dinner, but this was the first time he’d said it directly to her since Casino Night, and hearing her say it back brought him nearly to tears.

He felt her fingers, cool and gentle, on his jaw. He followed their pressure and looked down into her face, his vision just a little bit blurry.

“Hey,” she murmured, concerned. “Are you okay?”

Jim nodded. “I really, really am. For the first time in a  _really_  long time.”

He could tell she understood. She drew back and he released his hold, watching to see what she would do. Pam tucked her legs underneath herself and kneeled by his side, keeping one hand on his chest.

“So…movie?”

Jim laughed at her casual tone, running a hand through his now thoroughly messy hair.

“I think that’s probably a good idea. Especially if you’re gonna be fondling the help like that…”

Pam smacked his chest lightly. “You started it.”

“Deny it all you want, Beesly.”

“Well, you certainly got your compensation for the dishes. Maybe we can renegotiate the terms of your employment later.” Her voice dropped an octave as she spoke and Jim squirmed a little. He swore those words had never sounded hotter.

Exhaling sharply through pursed lips, he looked pointedly up and away from her, pretending to study the living room ceiling. Pam giggled, clearly having gotten the reaction she was looking for. She hopped up and practically skipped over to her TV stand, kneeling to peruse her small DVD collection. Jim watched from his spot on the couch, a content smile playing across his lips as she chattered, keeping a running commentary as she tried to decide what movie to put on. Finally, she held up a copy of  _Dazed and Confused_  with a hopeful grin.

“Shall we?”

“Be a lot cooler if we did.”

Pam laughed happily as she started the movie and returned to the couch. Jim raised his arm and Pam immediately scooted under, resting her cheek contentedly on his chest. Jim leaned down and softly pressed a kiss to the top of her head, his whole body humming from the contact. He relaxed into the cushions, the long day catching up with him. As the movie played, they both sank further into the couch and each other’s embrace.

_____

Pam woke several hours later to the DVD menu screen playing on repeat, her eyes heavy. Actually, all of her felt heavy.

After a few seconds she realized that it wasn’t her limbs that were heavy, it was the fact that Jim was wrapped around her like a vine, the two of them barely fitting on her narrow sofa. She was tucked into his arms, her back to his chest, legs and arms all intertwined. She was too warm, and uncomfortable in her jeans. She wiggled a little, and Jim’s arms only tightened around her. She wiggled again- and then gasped quietly as she felt his hips rock against her in his sleep.

_Oh god. Is that… yep, it definitely is._

Desire bloomed deep in her belly at the feeling of him, hard against her bottom. She knew he must still be asleep because his breathing hadn’t changed. Barely breathing herself, she tentatively shifted her hips again, pressing them back into his body. Jim’s body responded, a small groaning noise escaping his throat as he began to wake up. Pam quickly turned on the couch, as best she could with the limited space, and looked up into his face. As his eyes slowly opened, she smiled breathlessly.

“Hi.”

“Mmm. Hey,” he responded, his voice thick with sleep. She watched his face as he realized his predicament, his eyes widening in horror.

“Oh, god. Pam, I’m sorry. Here, let me move.” He made a motion to sit up but Pam pressed one small hand flat to his chest and stopped him.

Pam leaned in, slowly, and brushed her lips across his. “Don’t.”

She drew back, letting her desire show on her face and pointedly biting down on her lower lip. Jim’s eyes fluttered closed as she slowly tilted her pelvis forward into his, pressing right into where she could feel him, hard and growing. He groaned raggedly, his arms tightening around her.

“Pam…”

“Jim…kiss me, please,” she said, almost a whimper.

He obeyed, fisting his hand into her hair and pulling her face to his. His other hand caressed her back, her arm, whispered down and drew her leg up around his hip. She couldn’t help it, she instinctively responded, and her hips rocked forward again, sparks flying from the fire he was lighting in her center. They groaned in unison and suddenly Jim was shifting, moving on top of her and kissing down her neck as she panted.

He paused at her collarbone. “Keep going?”

He waited for her to respond, and it took a moment for the words to come. “Please, please.”

His hips jerked again at her words and she cried out at the friction, wanting more. He kissed around the edge of her shirt, nipping lightly at her collarbone and neck. Pam pushed against his chest and he sat back quickly, his eyes showing his uncertainty. His expression changed to one of dazed disbelief when he saw her begin to tug her blouse up over her head. Pam felt a momentary flash of pride that she could cause that reaction.

“Oh, sweet jesus.”

As soon as the blouse hit the floor he brought his lips back to her skin, his fingers ghosting over her stomach and shoulders. Pam whimpered impatiently, wanting his hands everywhere at once. She felt feverish, and his touch both stoked and soothed her flames.

He murmured into her skin as he kissed her neck, his words disjointed and breathless.

“You feel so,  _so_  good, Pam.”

“Jim…please please…just keep touching me.”

He cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing a circle through the padded fabric of her bra. She sighed, her head thrown back and her hands tangled into his hair, tugging lightly. Jim kissed down her chest, pausing again when he reached the edge of her bra.

“Don’t stop.” Her breathless words came before he could ask.  _Don’t ever stop._

Jim pushed the cup of the bra aside, revealing creamy pale breasts and pink nipples, and trailed his mouth lightly across her skin. Pam’s back arched, automatically, a strangled gasp leaving her lips. “Oh, oh!”

He pushed the fabric down further, the straps slipping down her shoulders until both her breasts were bare. One hand cupped her right breast and with the other, he gently rolled her left nipple between his fingers. Pam raised her head to look down at him and suddenly felt a little worried that she might spontaneously combust at the sight. His eyes were hooded, heavy with desire and the vestiges of sleep; his lips were parted and his cheeks flushed. Keeping eye contact, he dropped his head and began to tease her nipple with the tip of his tongue, drawing a circle around the areola, just barely touching. Pam’s head dropped back again as she moaned. Jim’s mouth closed on her nipple without warning and he continued to draw circles with his talented tongue, the heat of his mouth making her shiver and grasp at his hair. She could feel every tug and caress going straight to her groin and wondered if she was going to come before he even got her pants off.

Jim released her breast from his mouth, and Pam gasped again at the loss of contact. Jim sat up just far enough to tug off his sweater and undershirt, Pam taking the opportunity to also divest herself of her bra entirely. He covered her body with his own, their noses touching as they both closed their eyes for a moment, absorbed the feeling of so much skin on-skin contact. Pam opened her eyes-at the same time that he did, green meeting hazel.

“Should we stop?” Jim asked with difficulty. Pam could still feel him, hard and  _huge_  against her leg. She twitched her hips experimentally, smiled at the moan that tore from his throat and the way his eyes squeezed shut as he resisted the urge to grind himself into her.

“I don’t want to,” she whispered finally.

Jim met her gaze again. “Are you sure? We don’t have to. I mean,” he broke off, his eyelids fluttering a little as she rolled her hips against him again. “I  _want_ to, obviously. Do this, that is…”

She caressed his face, loving the feel of his slight stubble beneath her fingers. “I know. I want to, too. I promise.” She felt the conviction of her words as she spoke them, knowing this was right,  _they_  were right.

“Should we move?”

Pam lifted her head, taking in their arrangement and laughing at the sight they made. Both topless, both of them gasping for breath, barely clinging to the couch.

“Yes, definitely.”

He moved back so she could get up, wincing and adjusting himself under his jeans. She extended her hand, and when he took it and rose from the couch as well, she led him down the hall to her room, the TV completely forgotten.

_____

Jim trailed behind Pam as they approached her bed, his brain on complete overload.

_Pam is half-naked. Pam is bringing you into her bedroom. You’re about to have real, actual sex with Pam. This is definitely a dream, it has to be…_

But then she stopped, and turned, and she was in his arms again, her breasts pressed flat to his chest, her lips seeking his and hands clinging to his shoulders. He wrapped his arms all the way around her torso, holding her as close as physically possible as he kissed her, deep and passionate.

They stumbled towards the bed, her fingers sneaking down and fumbling with the button of his jeans as they went. The back of her legs hit the mattress and she pulled him down with her as she fell, landing in a heap on the pillows.

Jim laughed out loud–he couldn’t help it. She looked so goddamned cute, her hair spread out on the pillow around her pink face. She giggled with him, but it died into a whimper in her throat when he lowered his head and began kissing a slow path down her stomach. He stopped when he reached her waistband, glancing up for silent permission. When he saw what he was looking for in her eyes, her parted lips, he unbuttoned the jeans and gently slid them down over her hips, and off.

“No fair,” she protested breathlessly. “Yours off too.”

Jim raised an eyebrow at the very almost-naked girl beneath his hands.

“Demanding, aren’t we?”

Pam pouted prettily, then laughed, unable to stop her lips from turning up into a grin.

“It’s only fair, Jim. Pants for pants.”

Jim sighed in mock exasperation, then slid his jeans off and resumed his spot, knelt between her legs. “Better?” he asked softly as he bent to kiss her hipbone.

“Ah, oh–yes.. Much better,” she returned as her eyes closed, trying to keep still beneath his hands and lips.

Jim stretched himself out across the end of Pam’s bed, propping himself up on his arms to continue his exploration of her skin. She sighed and gasped in turn as he kissed and sucked little pink marks into every inch that he could reach, his hands alternating between caressing her breasts and running up and down her thighs, stopping just shy of their goal. Pam protested after a while, her hips thrashing against his restraining arm, and he half-smirked as he shifted up to kiss her mouth, while slowly pulling her panties down. She took over halfway, shucking the offending garment to the ground.

“God, Pam,” he sighed into her hair as she kissed his throat, “you feel so damn good.”

“I–can’t–ahh–believe that this is happening,” she whispered back, her words interspersed with sighs of pleasure, his hands creeping over her stomach towards her legs.

“You’re telling me.”

Jim slid back down the bed, his intentions clear. Pam caught his wrist, and he looked up to her, questioning.

“You don’t–have to.” She blushed, unable to be more articulate. Jim understood.

“Hey. I know. But I want to. Is that okay?”

Pam’s eyes were wide. She nodded slowly, unable to break his gaze. He grinned wickedly up at her, wanting to see her blush again. “I want to taste you, Pam,” he practically purred. Her eyes almost rolled back into her head, whether out of lust or embarrassment he wasn’t totally sure, but it didn’t matter. He situated himself between her legs and traced his fingers up her soft inner thighs, pale and dimpled and beautiful. He could see her evidence of her arousal, and it fueled his own. Before she could say anything to protest at his teasing, he kissed the very innermost part of her thigh and slowly slid a finger along her opening, sucking in a sharp breath when he felt just how wet she was already.

_____

It was all Jim, everything Pam could feel, see, smell or taste. Her senses were all attuned to him, and he was everywhere. His fingers were teasing her most intimate parts, the mouth she loved to watch smile and laugh was slowly lowering to the space between her thighs and —  _holy shit oh my god holy–_

“JIM!” his name burst from her lungs but she barely heard it, her heartbeat was so loud in her ears. He was overwhelming her, she wanted to shut her legs against the onslaught of stimulation but he wrapped his hands around her hips and held her still, continuing to lick and kiss and suck.

She’d never, ever imagined that she could feel this good. He knew exactly where to place his tongue, when to flatten it and when to soften it, found her clit within seconds and focused all his attention onto it, letting up when her whimpers reached a certain pitch that meant it was too much. He drew back, one hand sliding under her bottom and lifting her slightly from the mattress, the other curving over her abdomen so he could rub her clit with the tip of his thumb. He continued to lavish kisses onto her legs as he circled with his thumb, whispering praise and curse words until they all sounded the same to her ears.

She felt a building pressure, the speed of her panting increasing and her hips working against his hand. Just when she thought she couldn’t fly any higher, he leaned down and pressed his tongue flat to her sensitive nub and Pam lost all sense of feeling other than him, falling and crashing, her voice completely wrecked as she sobbed his name. He released her hips and kissed her abdomen gently, moving back up her body slowly, allowing her to adjust and recover. When he reached her lips, she molded her body to his, tasting herself mixed with Jim, new and foreign and familiar all at once.

“Oh my  _god,_ ” she exhaled. “That was…”

Jim chuckled, his arms squeezing her languidly. “Yeah?” He sounded hopeful, almost shy, and Pam’s heart ached with affection. She tenderly traced his features with her fingertips, memorizing the curve of his lips, the texture of his barely stubbled jaw, the soft delicate skin beneath his eyes. His eyelids slipped closed, absorbing her caresses.

Pam’s fingers wandered lower. Over his throat, across his collarbone. Into the dark hair that was scattered across his chest, skating briefly across his nipples before gliding down his stomach towards the waistband of his briefs.

Feeling brave, Pam slipped her hand into Jim’s briefs and deliberately stroked his length, watching his face. His mouth dropped open, eyes squeezed shut, a garbled moan emanating from his chest.

His hips reflexively jerked forward into her hand, and she squeezed lightly.

“Pam,” he gasped. “God…that feels so good.”

Pam smiled up at him, her tongue poking from between her teeth teasingly. She rose suddenly and scooted down to his side, pulling at his briefs until he got the hint and helped her pull them down and off.

Before she could lose her nerve, she knelt on the bed at the level of his knees, bent down, and took him into her mouth, supporting her weight on one arm while her other hand worked up and down slowly.

_____

Jim was pretty certain his head was going to explode, or maybe pop off altogether. He reached down and curled his fingers gently into Pam’s hair, resisting the urge to thrust up into her mouth. She could really only take him into her mouth about halfway down his length before she had to give up, but that was more than enough for him. Her hand grasped him firmly at his base, keeping a steady rhythm as she flicked her tongue over his tip, before closing her lips around his head and sucking. Jim threw his head back with a groan and a curse. It felt  _amazing,_  but he wasn’t going to last to the main event if she kept this up.

Leaning up on one arm, he reached down and carefully grasped Pam’s shoulder, then pulled her up and flipped their positions, hovering above her. He was acutely aware of every point where their skin met–her feet brushing along his legs, her thighs bracketing his hips, her hands clutching his upper arms. He leaned down to kiss her, allowed his feelings to flood his entire being, pouring everything he couldn’t put into words into the kiss. When he pulled back, she was practically squirming with need. He paused.

“Pam…I want you so much. But I– if you want me to stop, I will.”

Pam shook her head, almost frantically.

“No, no. I want this. I want you,” she said breathlessly, her voice high and full of need.

“Okay,” he breathed. “Do you, uh, have any protection?”

“I’m on the pill. Are you okay with just that or do you want, um, more?”

Jim shook his head. He hated condoms, always had, but Karen had insisted on using them in addition to her birth control.

“No, I’m good if you are.”

She nodded, her hips tilting up towards him. “Please, Jim…”

That was enough for him. He dropped to his forearms, showering kisses on her neck and face. Leaning to one side, he reached down and took himself in hand, lining up with her slick center. Achingly slowly, he pushed into her, watching her face for any sign of discomfort. He couldn’t help a moan as he filled her, his head dropping to her neck. She was panting, her skin flushed and warm underneath of him. Their pelvises met as he bottomed out, then slowly withdrew, just enough to thrust shallowly back in. Pam’s hands slid down Jim’s back, urging him without words to  _move, please._

He was nothing if not a good listener.

Jim began to move, his speed increasing as he lost control of his body. His brain really wasn’t in charge anymore, he was just listening to her cues. When Pam began to meet his thrusts with movements of her own, he cried out, his arms shaking slightly with the effort of holding himself up above her. Pam reached up and pulled on him, forcing him to drop back down to his forearms and bringing them nose-to-nose again. When he slowly ground his hips into her, she bit her lip hard and closed her eyes.

Jim knew he wasn’t going to last too much longer. He hadn’t slept with Karen in over a week, making excuses whenever she had tried to start something, even in their hotel room the night before. And this was  _Pam,_ who he had been secretly fantasizing about for literally years. He was just glad he hadn’t blown it the instant she pulled him to her in the kitchen.

He brought his lips to her ear and whispered, “Can you come again?”

The way her hips stuttered at his intimate words was really all the answer he needed. He sat back on his heels, holding her legs up around him and lifting her bottom fully from the bed so she was forced to clutch the bed to stay balanced. She squeaked at the change of angle, quickly switching to a low moan when he began to move, setting a grueling pace. It only took a minute before she was shuddering around him again, and Jim quickly followed, a harsh cry falling from his lips as his release wracked his body. Pulling out of her, he let them collapse on the bed, side by side, tugging her bedsheet up and loosely draping it over them both.

Pam spoke first. “Holy  _shit_ , Jim.”

Her voice was light and breathless, a laugh bubbling beneath the surface. Jim laughed, pleased and surprised.

“Geeze, Beesly. Such a dirty mouth.”

He rolled over onto his side to face her, slinging an arm across her waist.

“You love it,” she tossed back at him.

“True.”

“Well, I think you deserve a raise after that.”

Jim cocked his head, momentarily confused until he remembered their joke from earlier. He grinned slyly.

“Wait, was that not the raise?”

Pam kicked him idly in the shin, an action somewhat contradicted by the sparkle in her eyes.

“Ow! Abuse! I’m so telling HR about this.”

“Oh god, please do not. I think that would count as ‘gross moral turpitude’.”

Jim pulled her closer, tucking his chin into the crook of her neck.

“It’ll be our secret,” he whispered into her skin, making her shiver.

____

Pam suddenly covered her face with her hands with a smack, shifting Jim off her shoulder.

“Whoa, what’s up?”

Pam spoke, her voice muffled by her palms.

“We didn’t even make it all the way past our first date before I just–just  _jumped_  you!” she cried out, feeling embarrassed.

The Angela-voice was back, ringing in her head.  _Hussy.._

She felt Jim tug on her wrist and she reluctantly allowed him to pull her hands down from her face. She wasn’t prepared for the look on his face, amused and tender.

“Hey. Have I given you any reason to think that I didn’t want this just as much as you?” he asked. Pam shook her head.

“Plus, I’d say there was mutual jumping.”

Pam couldn’t help her giggle at that imagery. Jim leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose, then shook his head, sighing.

“Pam, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted this. Exactly this. The only reason I hesitated, at all, is because I wanted you to have zero regrets. Do you regret any of that?”

“No,” she whispered. “None.”

“Alright then,” he smiled down at her. “We’re on the same page. Besides –” he flopped onto his back, tucking an arm behind his head–“that really wasn’t our first date. More like our second or third.”

Now it was Pam’s turn to roll onto her side and look down at him. “Really? How do you figure?”

Jim smirked, his eyes closed. “A rooftop, grilled cheese, swaying….ringing any bells?”

Pam gazed down at him, her chest filling with warmth. “You really liked me that much, even then?”

Jim shook his head, opening his eyes.

“Pam, I have liked you this much since the day we met.”

Pam’s lip trembled. They could have had this so much sooner. She’d wasted so much time in denial.

“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here,” she whispered, the words sticking slightly in her throat.

Jim reached up and traced his thumb over her lower lip. He smiled reassuringly, his eyes calm.

“It’s okay. We’re here now. Together.”

“Together,” she echoed.


End file.
